Display package

ABSTRACT

A package for storing and shipping articles and which also functions when its base and cover are interchanged so as to provide a display for the goods without removing the goods from their assembled position on the base of the package.

United States Patent [191 1111 3,881,598

Schwimmer May 6, 1975 [54] DISPLAY PACKAGE 1,636,387 7 1927 Peirce ..l 206 45.2 2,000,681 5/1935 Weller 206/45.2 [75] Inventor. Alan F. SchWImmer, Evanston, Ill. 2,868,366 1959 Shiffmanm 206/45 2 73 Assignee: Amity Leather Products Company 3,133,662 5/1964 Siedler 150/.5 West Bend Wis 3,412,888 11/1968 Andrews et a1 206/508 3,511,288 5/1970 Swett et al. 206/45.2 [22] Filed: July 5, 1973 [211 App]: 376 420 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James E. Nilles [52] US. Cl. 206/45.2; 206/44 R [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/52; B65d 25/24 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field 61 Search 206/44 R, 45.14, 45.2, A p g for Storing and pp articles and which 20 75 501 50 also functions when its base and cover are interchanged so as to provide a display for the goods with- [56] References Ci out removing the goods from their assembled position on thfi base Of the package.

1,492,113 4/1924 Welsh 206/75 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures DISPLAY PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to special receptacles and packages of the type in which the goods have a supporting base to which they are attached and also a cover which fits over the base, the base providing a display support for the goods.

Various prior art devices have been proposed and used for packaging relatively small articles such as toys, jewelry, key chains, billfolds, cosmetics and so forth and whereon the article can be displayed without removing it from its suporting base. Samples of such prior art devices are shown in the US. Pat. No. 3,533,503, issued Oct. 13, 1970 and entitled Toy Package. In that device, the toy is supported on a base, the base having a outwardly extending flange for receiving the enclosed cover; when the cover is removed the article is displayed in supporting relationship on the base.

Another example of such prior art device is shown in the US. Pat. No. 3,206,014, issued Sept. 14, 1965 and entitled Jewelry Box. That device utilized up standing projections on a base and to which the articles were fixed for display when a surrounding cover was removed from the base.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a display package for an article, and which package has a supporting base on which the article is mounted. A cover is provided for the base and which can be slipped over the article on said base to form an enclosed package. When it is desired to display the article, the cover is removed from the base, leaving the article in its attached position to the base. The invention provides an outwardly extending flange around the base and located intermediate the height of the base whereby a portion of the base extends downwardly from the flange.

The arrangement is such that when the cover is placed over the articles and on top of the base to form an enclosed package, the lower portion of the cover rests on the flange and that portion of the base above the flange fits snugly within the cover. When it is desired to place the merchandise on display, the cover is removed from the base and the base, together with the articles held thereon by upward projections, are set on top of the cover, that portion of the base located below the flange extending into the cover so that the base and the articles thereon rest firmly in display position on top of the cover.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the package as above described and wherein the side walls of the cover extend upwardly a distance beyond the top of the cover so as to form a recessed top which, when the cover is inverted and set on a supporting surface, provides a rigid lower end of the box which will not buckle or collapse, and the upper open end of the box can receive the base for support on top of the box.

Thus, the package as provided by the present invention has a base with a flange intermediate its height and which provides two cover engaging portions, one for receiving the cover when the package is to be closed, and the other for being mounted on top of the cover when the articles are to be displayed.

The package as provided per the present invention provides a convenient way to mount the article on the base for use either in the package closed position or article displayed position on top of the cover, it being unnecessary to remove the article from the base in either position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the package in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base with the articles thereon and when the cover has been removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base and articles thereon when the base has been set on top of the cover in display position; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base with the articles removed and showing the article engaging projections on the base.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cover C of the assembled package P may be formed of any cross sectional shape and is shown here as being rectangular and having side walls 1, 2, 3 and 4 which extend upwardly a short distance above the top 5 so as to form a recessed top of the cover. When the cover is inverted to support the base as will appear, the extending upper edges of the cover, which are then in a downwardly turned position, provide a rigid surface engaging portion of the cover. The cover can also have designs or advertising material thereon so that it is visible in either the display or package closed positions.

The base B of the package is preferably made of plastic and is of a shape which complements that of the cross sectional shape of the cover, and in the illustration shown, the rectangular, upwardly extending projections 8 are formed integrally with the base and over which the articles can be secured to hold them in upright position on the base regardless of whether the package is closed or in the display position. In the illustration shown, the articles comprise a leather wallet W and a key case K.

The base also includes an outwardly extending flange 10 around the periphery of the base and located intermediate its height so that the lower portion 12 of the base B is located beneath the flange and the upper portion 14 of the base B is located above the flange.

When the cover is assembled on the base so as to enclose the package, the lower, open end of the cover fits over the upper portion of the base and abuts against the upper side of the flange. Portion 14 of the base fits snugly within the cover so as to hold the package in assembled condition.

When it is desired to place the articles on display, it is only necessary to remove the cover and place the base on top of the cover so as to elevate the base and the articles thereon where they can be easily viewed. If necessary, the cover can be inverted so that the rigid top of the cover is placed against the supporting surface and the base then is inserted in the upper end of the cover. In either position of the cover, the lower portion 12 of the base is inserted snugly in the cover and the flange rests on what is then the upper end of the cover, thus firmly supporting the base and the articles in elevated position.

In either position of being packaged or on display, the articles need not be removed from the base.

I claim:

1. A display package for an article and comprising a molded plastic cover having an open bottom, a molded plastic base of complementary shape to the cross section of said open bottom of said cover, said base having an outwardly extending flange formed integrally around its periphery and intermediate the height of said base to define an upper base portion above said flange and a lower base portion below said flange, said base also having a series of upwardly extending projections integrally formed with said base for supporting articles thereon and above said base, whereby said cover can be inserted over said articles and be supported on said flange with said upper base portion slipped snugly into said cover, said cover having an integral top and also projection. 

1. A display package for an article and comprising a molded plastic cover having an open bottom, a molded plastic base of complementary shape to the cross section of said open bottom of said cover, said base having an outwardly extending flange formed integrally around its periphery and intermediate the height of said base to define an upper base portion above said flange and a lower base portion below said flange, said base also having a series of upwardly extending projections integrally formed with said base for supporting articles thereon and above said base, whereby said cover can be inserted over said articles and be supported on said flange with said upper base portion slipped snugly into Said cover, said cover having an integral top and also having integral side walls which extend upwardly beyond said top to form a recessed upper end of said cover whereby said base can be set on top of said cover without reversing said cover and into said recessed upper end of said cover with said lower base portion extending into said recessed top, the base flange resting on the upper said end of said side walls of said cover for display of the articles held by said upwardly extending projection. 